LYSINE-ARGININE ASSOCIATION AND HUMAN NEUTROPHIL FUNCTION - ENHANCEMENT OF FUNCTIONS RELATED TO MICROBICIDAL ACTIVITY

The effects of L-lysine, L-arginine, and lysine-arginine association o n human neutrophil function were studied. The combination of the two a gents, used at pharmacological concentrations, was able to increase bo th the phagocytosis-associated and the f-MLP-induced chemiluminescence , in the presence of luminol as amplifier agent. Neither superoxide an ion production nor phytohaemagglutinin-induced aggregation were affect ed by the lysine-arginine association. The two amino-acids did not sho w any effect when used as single agents. L-canavanine (competitive inh ibitor of nitric oxide synthesis starting from L-arginine) did not red uce chemiluminescence. These results show that the association lysine- arginine may increase the microbicidal potential of human neutrophils, probably by increasing the production of hypochlorous acid. In additi on, a role for nitric oxide in these effects can be excluded.